286 



Account of the Basava Puran, 



[Oct. 



his opponents. He then pulled down all the Jaina temples and set up 

 this image to be worshipped under the tjame Uttar Eswara. 



'1 he next legend is similar : describing the setting up of Saiva images . 

 in Jaina temples. The next is yet wilder. The Jainas delude a Saivite 

 ■who is blind, into one of their temples and setting his face towards 

 (Jin-eswara) their idol, assure him it is (a lingam) an image of Siva : he 

 worships it : whereupon the Jaina image burst to pieces and in its stead 

 there appeared the image of Siva. 



The prince Bizzala (who employed Basava as his minister) now op- 

 poses the Jangam faith ; being himself a Jain. On one occasion he sets 

 up an image of the god Gopala [this is the name of a braminical god : 

 but it is stated that this was done merely to annoy the Virasaivas]. He 

 deiired all people to worship this image. A zealot named Bagayya re- 

 fuses to obey. The king complains of this : but Basava interpose sta- 

 ting that if Basaya neglected his duties he merited punishment but he 

 could not be expected to honour a new god. 



Ihe next legend (told in the braminical puranas likewise) is that of 

 Bhringi, and deserves notice (though pitiably silly) merely because very 

 popular. This Bhringi was a devoat servant of Siva (Jupiter) on Kai- 

 lasa (Olympus) and wished to honour Siva in the rite called pradaxa- 

 nam (encircling him, circumambulation). But he declined pac ing any 

 homa e to Parvati (Juno) and as Siva was in the (Arddha nari) herma- 

 phrodite form* (the right half of his body being male and the left fe- 

 male) Bhringi asummed the form of a (bhringam) wasp and bored a 

 passage for himself between these figures : thus excluding Parvati trom 

 his homage. The goddess was offended at this and by a curse dried up 

 the zealot's body, abstracting all his flesh and blood, and reducing him 

 to nohody. To comfort him Siva presented him with a third leg, and in 

 this reptile shape Bhringi (Tripos tripudians) appears in all the Siva 

 temples, being an especial favourite with the god, and celebrated as a 

 dancer, though a dwarf Basava tells the king this story to shew the 

 value and potency of faith. 



A variety of other legends of miracles may be passed over; as deserv- 

 ing less notice than a dispute regarding the comparative potency of 

 Siva and Krishna, who is the great god of the Bramins. The sernion 

 against Krishna is delivered in the presence of the king by a Jangam 

 named Bachi Uevaiia. 



Both Krishna, said he, and all the other gods are vastly inferior to 

 Siva. For, were they really mighty how does it happen that they cannot 



• See the prints ia Moox's Hindu Pantlieon. 



